Govt not soft on BJP, says
CMJallowal (Jalandhar), September 22Terming certain top state BJP leaders as more “clever” than their alliance partner SAD leaders, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today asserted that his government had no soft spot for BJP leaders and former ministers as in matter of corruption.

Amarinder for harmony between politicians,
bureaucratsFaridkot, September 22
More than 20,000 persons visited the state-level rural mela organised by the District Cultural Society in Nehru Stadium here today in connection with the celebrations of aagman purab of Sufi saint Baba Sheikh Farid.

Punjabi varsity students call off stir
Fee hike, cases against student leaders to be withdrawnPatiala, September 22The Punjabi University Students Confederation today called off its agitation following the intervention of Punjab Home Secretary
S.K. Sinha, who prevailed upon the university to effect a complete rollback of the fee hike, besides agreeing to the revocation of the suspension of student leaders and reopening of all closed departments.

Punjabi University student leaders
rejoice after signing an agreement to end their agitation, in Patiala
on Monday.
— Photo by Subhash Patialavi.

Punjabi varsity accedes to students’ demandsPatiala, September 22
The Punjabi University authorities today capitulated before all the demands of agitating students following pressure from the state government, which did not want the agitation to become a political issue especially in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Army remembers heroes of
DograiKhasa (Amritsar), September 22
On Dograi Day today, the Army paid tributes to its men who laid down their lives during the battle for the Dograi post during the 1965 war with Pakistan. The top brass, including the General Officer Commanding, Panther Division, laid wreaths on the Dograi memorial.

Army jawans pay tributes to martyrs of the battle of Dograi during the 1965 war with Pakistan, in Amritsar on Monday.
— Photo by Rajiv Sharma

BJP workers hold ralliesSangrur, September 22
The district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Mr Satwant Singh Punia, district president, today marched through the town and held a rally in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here against the Punjab Government for registering alleged ‘false’ cases against the BJP and the SAD workers, including state BJP chief, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, on August 20 near Naushera Pattan bridge between Gurdaspur and Mukerian.

Out-of-turn promotions: DGP favours sportsmenJalandhar, September 22
Director-General of Police Punjab, A.A. Siddiqui today said that it had been decided, in principle, to support the cause of 400 Punjab Police officials, fighting a case in Punjab and Haryana High Court for being promoted out of turn under sports quota. The Punjab Police would move the Supreme Court, in case the high court verdict went against the interests of the affected sportspersons.

Punjab Govt employees
hold rallyChandigarh, September 22
On a call given by the Punjab Mulazam Shangharsh Committee, thousands of Punjab Government employees from all over the state held a rally here to reject the ‘anti-employees policies’ of the Centre and state governments and for settlement of their long pending demands. Police sources said it was one of the biggest employee rallies held here in the recent times.

Cross-examination of Bhupjit overChandigarh, September 22
In just over a year after the Punjab Public Service Commission recruitment scam rocked the state with its startling revelations, the cross-examination of complainant Bhupjit Singh concluded in the “trap case” before Ropar’s Special Judge for Vigilance cases
S.K. Goel.

Counselling week for unemployedFatehgarh Sahib, September 22
To motivate and to create awareness among the youths for self employment opportunities, a special guidance and counselling week is being observed from Sept.23 in the district, said Mr
S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over the meeting of education and employment officials here on Saturday.

Seminar on national securityChandigarh, September 22
Defence Minister George Fernandes will inaugurate a two-day seminar on “Integrated Management of National Security’’ in Chandigarh on September 27 and 28 under the auspices of the Forum on Integrated National Security.

Rs 1.83 cr aid for development of
GhanaurPatiala, September 22
The Minister for Public Health, Mr Jasjit Singh
Randhawa, on Saturday said the NDA government at the Centre was responsible for the “poor” economic condition of farmers in the state.

Workers’ rights
under threat, says INTUCNangal, September 22
“The Union Government is trying to curtail the rights of workers. In a country like India where the demand and supply ratio of workers is lopsided, the government move to curtail their rights will lead to their exploitation,” said Mr G. Sanjeeva Reddy, national president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, at a press conference here today.

Academy holds conferenceAmritsar, September 22
As many as 200 delegates attended the annual conference of the Folklore Research Academy, Chandigarh, a state-level organisation here today.

Plea to end
caste-based reservationsChandigarh, September 22
The General Categories Welfare Federation, Punjab, has sought an end to caste-based reservations, thereby demanding that the benefit of reservation should be given on the basis of economic considerations.

Youths injure boy, school ownerSAS Nagar, September 22Car-borne youths injured a schoolboy and the owner of Shastri Model School here today.
The youths, who were passing in front of the institution in their car in Phase I, when the school closed, hit and injured a student of Class I.

40 quintals of poppy husk burntSangrur, September 22
Forty quintals of poppy husk was burnt by the police here today. The poppy husk had been confiscated over the past three months.
Earlier this year, the police had burnt about 76 quintals of poppy husk.

HIGH COURTS
Punjab told to decide on unauthorised constructionsChandigarh, September 22
Residents putting up in the periphery of Chandigarh can heave a sigh of relief — at least for the time being. Taking up a bunch of petitions, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state of Punjab to take appropriate decision on regularisation of unauthorised constructions in the periphery within two months of receiving recommendations of a committee earlier constituted.

17,000 tonne of fertiliser stock
reservedAbohar, September 22
IFFCO has reserved a stock of 17,000 tonne of DAP fertiliser to meet the shortage for the next crop season. This was stated by the area Manager, Mr Nahar Singh Mavi, at a training camp for cooperators of the Lambi, Malout and Gidderbaha development blocks. Mr M.P. Sharma, Block Agriculture Officer, presided.

Panel on paddy procurement grievancesFatehgarh Sahib,
September 22The district administration has made all arrangements for the smooth procurement of paddy in the district, said Mr
S.K.Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, while presiding over the meeting of procurement staff here on Saturday.

3 IAS, 5 PCS
officers shiftedChandigarh, September 22
The Punjab Government today posted three IAS and five PCS officers. Mr K.K. Bhatnagar has been posted as Principal Secretary, Department of Printing and Stationery. Mr S.S. Rajput has been transferred as Special Secretary (Personnel) with additional charge as the Chief Executive,
PEDA. Mr Nilkanth Singh Avhad has been shifted as ADC, Moga.

SDM order prompts land acquisition by MCKharar, September 22As per instructions of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Kharar, the local municipal council took over the possession of 114, kanal and 18 marla land, worth more than Rs 10 crore, situated along the National Highway No. 21, near the local bus stand, here today.

National
conference at Thapar InstitutePatiala, September 22
A two-day national conference on “Materials and Related Technologies” was organised by the School of Physics and Materials Science and the USIC at the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technologies here. Five talks and 54 papers on the subject were presented at the conference.